Eyeglass frames traditionally include a front portion or lens frame connected at opposed lateral ends with side pieces or temples. Each temple has a forward facing hinge (or other connector) end and a rearward facing earpiece end.
For anyone who has worn glasses for corrective vision, and for those who wear glasses for safety and/or sun shading, one of the more common complaints is that the glasses get lost when not worn. Many individuals have worn bands for suspending glasses around their necks when not in use. Others have been known to flip unworn glasses up for “riding” on their upper foreheads, or possibly resting in their hair.
Still others have considered storing unused eyeglasses on their person, but not in a storage case per se. The most commonly used storage area is the pocket of a dress shirt or other apparel item. In order to prevent glasses from sliding or falling out of such pockets, numerous clip means have been conceived and patent protected. Schmitt U.S. Pat. No. 1,779,015 was one of the first to include a firmly mounted clip nearest the front hinge region to the temple arm of an eyeglass frame. Marvin U.S. Pat. No. 1,787,830 located a similar clip further back along the temple arm for storing other items including writing utensils.
The hinge to one of the temple arms of Hon U.S. Pat. No. 2,097,371 included a purposeful clasp. McCormick U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,120 added an aesthetic hook or clip to the outside of one temple arm, said clip intended to match the rest of the temple arm in color and material of manufacture.
Others have patented after-market clips for including with many makes and models of eyeglass frame temples. McDonald U.S. Pat. No. 1,898,059 included one type of clip that could be slid to various points along the temple arm. Nagel U.S. Pat. No. 1,973,648 included an attachment fob that not only clipped to the frame wearer's shirt pocket; it also engaged with the opposite temple arm when the eyeglasses were folded “closed”. Zipper U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,236 disclosed several shapes of temple arm clips, some permanent and others removable and reuseable. And DiFranco U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,375 showed a plastic spring bar-type clip for attaching to a temple arm with a pair of O-ring connectors.
A spring-loaded, add-on clip from Kren U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,906 incorporated clamping jaws. And Challender U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,319 included a spring-biased clip in one front corner of his eyeglass frame temple. Resendez, Sr. U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,221 added a garment-locking protrusion and recess near one end of his frame attaching clip. Should the wearer desire a wider spread for attaching unworn glasses to an automotive sunshade or the like, Maxson U.S. Pat. No. 3,038,377 provided a frame clasp that was both hinged and spring loaded.
More recently patented configurations have included clip means that are capable of pivoting about the temple component for shirt pocket mounting when not in use. See, for example, Fukai U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,895 and Goldman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,854,845.
What is needed is an inexpensive means for securely attaching eyeglass frames to one's person, said securing means not becoming easily undone. A mere spring clip along the frame temple does not suffice. A spring loaded clip that completely closes about the attachment element, a belt loop, necklace, purse buckle, etc. provides greater security from being lost or otherwise getting disconnected. This invention would enable hunters, fishermen and other outdoorsmen to keep better track of their vision equipment. The same can be advantageously used by military, police, firemen and other rescue personnel.